Studies show that Asian and Latino adolescents who speak English well and continue to speak their home language have been shown to have higher self-esteem, closer family ties and greater academic success, according to University of Massachusetts-Amherst’s Giang Thuy Pham who is helping young English-speaking Vietnamese embrace their home language.

In the diverse world we live in today, being bilingual is a valuable asset. So too, we believe, is a knowledge of the language of music.

Ask Springfield Superintendent of Schools Daniel Warwick, who recently returned from a trip to Puerto Rico where he visited the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music in San Juan.

Warwick’s visit was something of a follow-up to the Puerto Rico Philharmonic Orchestra’s debut at the Springfield Symphony Hall last year. As a result of the experience, parents and students began thinking about establishing a school in Springfield, which would highlight music as part of the curriculum.

In Puerto Rico, the conservatory school has been incredibly successful at retaining students and helping to improve the academic achievement of students.